What happens when you are feeling burned out and tired of working so many hours for so little pay?
I see this scenario ALL.THE.TIME. And, I have been there.
Many of us get to a certain point in the business where we have a good number of clients, we do a great job for those clients, we work very hard, but our bank accounts don’t reflect the time we spend working. We wonder why we are working so hard for such little financial reward.
Then we start second guessing if we should continue working as a wedding and event planner.
Should we go back to working a regular job? Should we get a part-time job? Is this the industry we still want to be in? How much do wedding planners actually get paid?
There isn’t a right or wrong answer. For many of us, wedding planning IS the dream career and we cannot fathom doing anything else no matter how hard we work or how many hours we put in. What are the top reasons that wedding planners aren’t successful?
For others, the financial compensation has to equal or exceed the amount of work we do. Otherwise, it simply isn’t worth the hassle of working weekends, sacrificing family time, and dealing with occasional high maintenance clients.
And for another group of us, wedding planning is simply a stepping stone to another career path in the future.
If you are feeling burned out, first, realize that this is completely normal for any entrepreneur. Having your own business is stressful. Being a wedding planner adds another layer of stress when you consider the immense responsibility we have for every single event we plan.
Just because you are tired and weary and considering quitting does not mean that this isn’t the right career for you anymore.
When I was planning full time, I went through a time period every October and November when I considered quitting. There were a few years when I was so burned out that I became physically ill. Obviously, that isn’t healthy for anyone.
What can you do to get through those periods of burnout, empty bank accounts, and uncertainty?
1) Take a break!
You simply must schedule time off when you can completely unplug from your business. If you can plan a vacation away, great. If not, plan a stay-cation to relax, treat yourself to a massage or pedicure, have lunch with friends, spend time with family, and binge watch as much Netflix as you want.
2) Schedule time to evaluate and review
After you take a vacation or stay-cation, take time to evaluate how the past 6 months have gone. Revisit what you wrote in your last annual review and see what needs to change or what you can do differently moving forward. Download a free annual review template here.
This is also a good time to look back and list the reasons why you started a planning business. This will help refresh your memory about the positive aspects and benefits of being an entrepreneur in the wedding industry.
3) Find a professional who can help
This could be a business coach, a life coach, or a therapist. If you aren’t sure this is the right career path or if you are struggling with confidence, a life coach might be a good fit. If you have life issues outside of work and business, a therapist can be a fantastic investment to talk through what is going on and get feedback.
If you love being a wedding planner but your business just isn’t working for you financially or you aren’t sure how to make the business work so that you aren’t working 80 hours a week, hire a business coach who works with wedding and event planners. Business coaching for wedding planners is a huge part of my role at Planner’s Lounge and I’d love to chat with you to see if I can help.
I have worked with business coaches, life coaches, and therapists throughout my entrepreneurial journey and can say those have been the best investments I have made.
4) Find something that inspires you
This could be attending a conference or workshop, taking a local class, planning a fun photo shoot, or simply taking up a new hobby. To keep myself inspired, I have taken floral design classes, attended a number of conferences, and explored new ways to be creative through crafts and creative hobbies.
Don’t stay stuck in a negative mindset. Do something to get yourself out of the rut and moving in a positive direction. Remember that you aren’t alone – many of us have experienced these growing pains in our planning businesses.
5) Set boundaries and adjust your processes
Changes to business processes and workflow can greatly increase productivity and cut down on the hours you work while still accomplishing the same tasks. There is much truth in the phrase, “Work smarter, not harder.” Explore online event planning software and business templates for wedding planners to streamline your workflow.
If clients are controlling your time and your business, it’s time to set appropriate business policies and communicate those to your clients.
6) Adjust packages and pricing
Small (or big) changes to your pricing methods and service offerings can make a significant difference in how much money you make and the type of clients you attract. Understanding your cash flow is a key part of financial success as a wedding planner.
Being the owner of a wedding and event planning business is unlike anything else. If you are struggling, give yourself grace and time to figure out the next steps to take. You’ve got this!
Not sure how to price your services and what to offer in your wedding planning packages?
Pricing With Confidence: Secrets to Profitable Pricing & Services for Professional Wedding Planners is a comprehensive guide with templates and worksheets that give you the tools and information needed to confidently offer profitable and sustainable wedding planning packages and pricing.
This guide is ideal for both new and experienced wedding planners who want to understand pricing methods and techniques. This guidebook is also perfect for wedding planners who want to save time by having ready-to-use templates for planning packages, examples of website wording, and a professional spreadsheet to rely on for calculating prices for weddings and events.
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